Buffer



Aug- 2, 1932- H. w. BAILEY 1,869,793

BUFFERI Filed May 14, 1929 /Nz/eA/TD/: H. w. BAULE-Y EVM Patented Aug. 2, `1932 nanvEYw. BAILEY, or PoR'rLaNn, OREGON aman appuauon mea my A14, 192s. serial no. 363.051,

This 'invention relates generally to shock absorbing devices, and particularly to buffers.

The main object yof this invention is to provide au exceedingly simple and efficient.

form of buffer employing a laterally sup- 'portmg'pneumatic member providing'a resistance under load which increases as the pressure increases by reason of the confined pressure of the pneumatic element added to the natural resiliency of its structure, and

`further added to a frictional resista-nce with relation to a supporting member.

The second object is to provide a buffer which will be useful for Aa great variety of purposes, which will be noiseless in operation, and which makes it possible to utilize a form of pneumatic buffer whichwould be inherently unstable by providing a supporting guide for the tip of the buffer and a friction element for the sides ofthe bu'er.

The third object is to provide a series of different mediums through which vibrations must pass for the purpose of intercepting the transmission of said vibrations. f

These, and other objects, will become more a parent from the specification following as i ustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through a representative form of buffer.

Y 1 re 2 is a transverse section taken along the l1ne 2-2 in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the buffer casing.

Figure 4 is a verticalisection through a modified form of the buffer using an enlarged head supported by a buffer guide.

Figure 5 is a modified form of the buffer showing same unsupported by a` guide but having itshead metal covered. f

Figure 6 is a section showing the use' of the buffer illustrated in Figure 1 applied as a door stop.

Figure? illustrates the device shown in Figure 4 used as a glider under the front leg of. a chair.

Figure 8 illustrates the device used as a glider for the back leg of a chair. U

Figure 9 illustrates a further modification of the devicein which plurality of the cells are emplo ed in series.

Similar num rs of reference refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

Referrin in detail to the drawing, in Figure 1 there 1s illust-rated a rubber buffer consisting of a somewhat cylindrical member having the tapering side walls 10 having a relatively heavy closed end v11 and a slightly enlarged o n end 12 which forms aslight shoulder with a relation to the wall 10. The

end 13 of the shoulder 12 is provided With a ta ering inturned portion 14 which is quite flexlble and provides the desired seal with relation to a confining part. The opening 15 is also preferably tapering, as is the thickness of the walls IO-that is to say, it is desirable to have the walls 10 expand radually under a pressure exerted against t e end 11 beginning with that portion of the Wall 10 which is nearest the shoulder 12 and gradually working toward the end 11.'

The device thus far described is made of rubber and is fitted into a buffer casing consisting of a cylindrical wall 16 having an out-turned. flange 17 at one end thereof beyond which the end 11 normally projects.

It will be noted that the outermost portion of the walls 10 do not engage the interior of the casing 16, except near theend 12. However, when the entire buer, as illustrated in Figure 6, is mounted in ay door casing 18 and a door 19 is closed against same (as shown) then the end 11 is forced into the casing 16 causing an increase in pressure within the opening 15, and also a compression of the material in 'the walls 10, changing the shape thereof (as shown in Figure 6) which builds up a resistance comprised of an internal air pressure, the resiliency of the rubber itself and the friction between the rubber and the interior of the casing 16, thereby providing an exceedin ly gentle but extremey efficient means of a sorbing shock caused by the closing'of a door or similar object.

In Fi e 4 the buffer is shown equipped with a g ider head 2O of relativel large area Whose c lindrical portion 21A ts slidably within t e casin 16 and receives the cylindrical end 22 'o the bufferv walls 10. This type of the device is especially designed as a glider 'for furniture, but ii used on certain g types of chairs which are subject to tipping backwardly it would referably be used only on the front legs 23 as shown in Figure 7) and if used on the back legs 2li a glider 250i smaller diameter especially employed to prevent a canting or bindin action with relation to the casing 16 shou d be used.

In the form shown in Figure 9 the shape of the buffer is modified still more. in this case it consists of a cup formed by the curved walls 26 having the inturned sealing lip 27 preferably rendered more flexible by forming an annular groove 28 around same.-` The cup'26 is mounted on a pedestal 29 as a base 30 which is secured to a base plate 31 in any convenient manner. The entire unit is placed within a casing 32 preferably having a smooth interior, and if much movement is required a number of these cu s or cells are placed in series either with t e cup ends adjacent to each other or with the base late 31 of one unit engaging the cup end o the next unit. With this `form of the device there is secured the advantage of the compression of the air within the s ace 33 Within the cu 26, and also within t e space 34 outside of te cup 26.

It is desirable to lubricate suchV devices with graphite or similar material since it can be that the frictional contact loetween the outer portion 35 oi the csp 25 with relation to the casing 32 increases with the load applied thereto.

it can be seen that by this arrangement it is only necessary to vary the number and shape oie the cells or units to secure the desired action whether it be short and strong or long and resiiient, as the case may be. This structure has the additional advantage or" constantiy keeping the rubber elements in compression and protected in a large measure against oxidation.

The number ci"z uses for which same can be employed is almost unlimited and ranges from typewriter mountings to shock absorbino' devices of reet magnitude.

am aware t at many forms of siicclr absoroing devices have been constructed in the past; it is therefore not my riesire to protest such devices broadly, but i do intend to cover sii such crans and modifications tiiereoir es iaii 'rairiy Within 'the appended caims.

` escasos rictional resistance to the compressive and resilient resistance of said cell.

2. A louder consisting of a casing, a metal base slidably mounted 1n said casing, a ilexible cup mounted on said base Within said casing, and flexible means for sealing the open end of said flexible cup under pressure.

3. A buer consisting in combination of a cylindrical casing and a plurality of pneumatic cells mounted within said casing each of said cells having a guiding base formed thereon slidably mounted Within said casing the outer portion oi each cell normally not contacting with said casing but expanding under load to engage said casing with increasing pressure as saidA load increases and to oier increased resistance to said load as each cell in succession expands its diameter and increases its air pressure within and without its cell.

HARVEY W. BAILEY.

'Era- 

